Improvement in rulers



F. A. CUMBES.

Rulers. l N0. -145,555. A Patnted Dec. 16,1873.

WTNESSES. WWENTOR.

maw/M* UNrrED STATES PATENTA OFFICE.

FRANK A. COMBES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN RULERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,555,`daied December16, 1873; application filed February 3, 1873.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. COMBES, of Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Ruler, ofwhich the following is a speciication:

This invention relates to that class of rulers used by book-keepers andaccountants for ruling lines in books or on paper with a steel or aruling-pen; and consists of a straight strip of metal, the ruling-edgeof which is thicker than the other, and has a groove formed1ongitudinally along its ruling-edge, in which is placed a strip ofblottingpaper or other suitable absorbing material, the object of whichis to catch and absorb a-ny ink from the pen which usually lodges on theedge of the ruler and is liable to blot the page or paper being ruled.

The under side of the ruler is concave, so

that only the edges shall lie on the paper, and

the rear edge is sharpened for the purpose of preventing the ruler fromslipping while being used.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved ruler.Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is also an end view, showing arib for strengthening it.

A is a strip of metal, having one edge, Z1, bent under and folded so asto form a groove, into which is slipped a strip of blotting-paper or anyother suitable absorbing material, B. This forms the ruling-edge, andstands up from the paper, resting on the part bent under.

When ruling with a writing-pen the ink invariably comes in contact withthe edge of a ruler, and is very liable to run down and blot the paper;but by the interposition ofthe absorbent B the ink will be preventedfrom running down, and will be taken up by the absorbent. When the stripB becomes useless or filled with ink it may be slipped out of the grooveand replaced by a new piece. The opposite edge of the ruler has its edgebeveled off, so that it will take hold of the paper, and is thusprevented from slipping vwhen used. The under side of the ruler beingcurved inward makes the edges the only bearing-parts on the paper.

Onel or more ribs, a, are placed on the under side of the ruler, so asto abut against the nner side of the front edge, as shown in Fig. 3, forthe purpose of increasing the strength ot' the ruler and rendering itmore rigid.

These rulers may be made of metal or rub,

ber, and may have a scale for measuring marked on one side, as seen inFig. 1.

Having described my invention, I claim- As a new article of manufacture,the concave ruler A, having its edge b bent under and folded to form agroove for the reception of an ink-absorbent, B, and provided with oneor more strengthening-ribs, a., as shown and described.

FRANK A. COMBES.

Witnesses GEO. W. TIBBrrs, E. SowERs.

